Los Angeles' portion of the domestic film and TV economy shrank last year amid devastating industry struggles, but it remains by far the most powerful entertainment player in the United States. According to the latest Otis College Report on the Creative Economy, released Thursday, the City of Angels posted a 27% share of domestic film and TV employment in 2023 — down 8% from 2022 but still way ahead of its fiercest competitor, New York, which made up 12% of the entertainment workforce.
The waning prominence of film and TV coincides with a drop in production, which is still down 9% from pre-strike levels, according to the report. Film and TV employment in Los Angeles County is 19% lower than it was prior to the work stoppages — leaving thousands of writers, crew members and other entertainment workers in a state of financial and emotional distress.